Fae's Duty
by RavenclawSoprano
Summary: Elphaba gets a big surprise while working undercover. FiyeroElphaba, bookverse, Elphaba's POV. Chaptered, as inspiration strikes and it has been requested. Disclaimer: I do not own any of Wicked. In short, Gregory Maguire is amazing.
1. The Unexpected Friend

**Fae's Duty: The Unexpected Friend**

I was sitting in a cafe, nursing a mineral tea, thinking about everything going on in Oz, and waiting for some guy with a bright red feather in his cap. I didn't even know if it was a guy, as secrecy is of the utmost importance with our organization.

We had an assignment for the night, one of many projects to take down the Wizard's officials of Oz, the Powers Who Are. We were working toward an eventual weakening of the government, though I can't tell you what we were going to do after it all came down. I can't even tell you how we were going to do it. I just wanted to do _something _that might make a difference in the world.

I actually can't tell you much more about this. It's not just because it's a secret; it's also because I don't know. They can't tell us the entire plan, for we would then run the risk of exposure.

Meanwhile, I was waiting in the busiest square in the Emerald City, watching all of the people walking down the streets. It was a dangerous place for someone of my distinctiveness, as anyone who had ever seen me before could also recognize me.

I glanced nervously downward and away from the passing people. My distinctiveness was also the method for my contact knowing who I was; I couldn't hide it because it would get in the way of the mission. I found myself staring at the chair opposite of me.

After realizing that I was gazing oddly at the empty seat, I quickly started looking around the crowd, as if expecting company. As I looked back at the seat, I was shocked to see a young man sitting there, wearing spectacular, princely clothing and a black cap. "Fiyero! What are you doing here? I told you my mission brought me here and that you should avoid the area!"

He blushed and replied, "Something told me to come, and I could not refuse. So here I am. Besides, I'll keep you company, especially as it looks like you aren't expecting anyone else to have tea with you."

I glanced around again, hoping that my contact was not yet here. I had to figure out a way to get Fiyero to leave. "Look, this really isn't a good time. I don't need company; I'm on a mission, remember? All I have to do is make sure that I fulfill my part of the plan, or else it'll all go wrong!"

"So do it. I'll wait right here until you're done."

"No, Fiyero! You're just going to be in the way; I'll have to look out for you as well as everyone else who isn't a target!" I was getting desperate now. My contact was supposed to be here any time now. If the timing was off in any way, we could lose our chance.

"Come on, Elphie-Fabala-Fae, loosen up! Can't you just get out a bit and relax?" He looked pleadingly at me, as if his heart was breaking. I hardly noticed. I couldn't pay much attention, as I was too busy looking for my contact.

"Fiyero, I don't have time to argue with you on this one. Go back to my hideout and I'll meet you there when I'm done. NO earlier. And please, don't give me or my hideout away. I really don't want to have to start fresh." My eyes were scanning the crowd for red feathers.

"If you insist. Just let me show you something first." As he turned his head to one side, I saw a flash of red...

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Elphie: Wait a minute! What just happened?

RS: I can't tell you that. You figure it out for yourself, remember? Besides, it's rather obvious...

Elphie: Yes, but he said he wouldn't do it with me.

RS: Um, let's just say he changed his mind...


	2. An Anxious Wait

**Fae's Duty: An Anxious Wait**

As the red feather came into view on his hat, I gasped. _Wait... he's my contact? He said he wasn't going to go undercover with me. What made him change his mind?_

Still astonished, I leaned toward him and asked, "So, you're my contact? Or are you just doing this to get more of my attention?"

"Yes, I am your contact. The red feather doesn't lie." _And neither does green skin..._

I looked at the large clock across the square and realized we were behind schedule. "Well, then, I'm sure you understand the time constraints of this mission. You kept me waiting long enough to make us late. So just take this and go!" I slid the knife across the table to him and turned to get up.

He slid the knife up his sleeve and started gathering himself to leave. "Wait! Fae! Can I still come see you after I'm done?"

_He's going to come no matter what; that's what he did the first time. I might as well say yes._ I turned back long enough to say "fine, but don't be seen", and then slipped away into the crowd.

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I didn't look back the entire way to my den. I didn't want to think about Fiyero, but my mind kept wandering back to him.

I was worried about the end of the mission, but I had orders not to be out and about while the deed was being done. It made sense... if more of us were there, we could get caught.

I paced around my den, thinking. _The only reason we were running late today is that he waited to reveal that he was my contact. He was going to risk the mission just to see me again!_

_At least we're safe here. He'll come back and we'll spend the night together like normal._

_Providing he doesn't get caught. If he's caught, we're done for. He's the only one who knows where I am; they could torture it out of him, and then come after me too! I'll have to find a whole new safe place._

I sighed. It had taken me a month to find this place, and I was really starting to like it. It had held a certain homeliness ever since Fiyero decorated it for Lurlinemas.

_I'll talk to him when he comes back. Maybe I can persuade him to stop going undercover with me. Though we can always use more people…_

_It's still too dangerous. I'll have to move anyway. I'll just talk to him._

I continued to pace back and forth through my den, deep in thought, until I heard a small "click" behind me. I whirled around to see Fiyero sliding in through the door.

"What were you thinking? If you were caught…" _You'd probably be dead right now. And I would have to move again._

"But I wasn't. You have nothing to worry about. Relax, come sit on the bed with me."

I planted my feet firmly. He wasn't going to get his way just by getting me in bed. "Look, Fiyero, you could get caught on any of these missions. You could be tortured, killed, or imprisoned. I don't want to see you in any of those positions."

"Elphie, I'm putting myself in this danger. I want to help your mission, and I'm fully willing to take that risk. Please, stop worrying about me."

_It's not working. Ok, time to try a different tactic._ "You have a family that loves you back at Kiamo Ko. You belong there; they don't want to have any sad news of your demise either. You've left them for long enough."

"You know they don't really care. They're fine at Kiamo Ko. Now my mind's made up, and there's nothing you can do to change that."

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Elphie: Why does he have to be _so _determined?!?!

RS: Well, it is Fiyero… and I certainly hope I'm not portraying him out of character.

Elphie: So how long will it take me to find a new place this time?

RS: I'm not sure yet. You might have to wait a while to find out; my internet access will probably be a little problematic for the next month. I'll try to update, but it may be a while.


	3. An Ultimatum

**Fae's Duty: An Ultimatum**

_Well, if his mind's made up... I guess I have no choice. _I turned away from him and began gathering my meager belongings together.

"What are you doing? I won't give up any information about this place, I promise!" He tried to pull me down onto the bed, but I pulled away.

"How much pain can you withstand, Fiyero? Do you really want to find out? They could and would torture you, and it's too much of a liability for you to keep seeing me."

_And if the Wizard has anything to do with it, he'll take us all down._

"I love you too much to give you away. How could I? Stop, you really don't have to do this!"

I pulled out my only bag and started putting everything into it. "Yes, I do have to do this. The law of our organization says that no two members may know each other. If they do, they cannot know their present locations. Even you, as a new member, should know that."

"Who says we have to play by the rules? We already broke the rules… You ran away from school to go undercover, and I am committing adultery. What's to say it can't happen again?"

_There's much, much more at risk this time, Fiyero my love..._ "It already has to the extent that we are here discussing it. Either leave the organization, or I'm moving."

He looked sadly at me. I could tell he was seriously considering my ultimatum. I closed my bag with a snap and turned to him. "Well?"

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Once Fiyero left, I went into town to buy dinner and a newspaper. Sure enough, front page news covered the death of an official of Oz; I didn't know him, but I had to assume he had been our target.

I flipped to the real estate section. I preferred to find an abandoned den, but if there were an apartment handy, I would take that. I needed to get out of my current habitation as soon as possible; Fiyero wanted to move in.

Fiyero was out in the open too much, living at an inn, in the middle of Oz. He had asked me if he could move in, and while I thought it was dangerous, I allowed him to do so.

_Hmm… all of these are too obvious, too open. Maybe I'll have to go for the abandoned approach after all._

I headed for a street corner where I knew one of the organization's officers could be found. We had been instructed to come to the corner and leave a note for him when we needed instructions or any help.

I had already written the note:

_I am in need of a new hideout as soon as possible. The newest member has taken over my old one and it is too dangerous to remain there. Any help you could provide would be welcome. I greatly appreciate the information, and I await instructions for our next mission. I will return in approximately 24 hours and check here for your response. Your humble servant, Fae_

I folded it up and slid it between the bricks of the house on the corner. I hoped he could get back to me quickly, as I couldn't afford to be exposed in any way, but I had to give him at least 24 hours.

I couldn't return to Fiyero's hideout; it was too risky. I was hampered by my belongings, but I could at least find a room at a local inn for the night. Spending more than one night would, of course, be exposing me.

As I walked down the road, it started to rain lightly. All I could do was wait and stay dry until the inn's rooms were ready…

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RS: I didn't leave you with too much of a cliffhanger there, did I?

Elphie: Not really. I guess I'll be bored for the next few hours until the inn opens up, anyway.

**A/N: I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write over the next month. It may be a while before the next chapter comes out. I'll do what I can, but don't hold your breath…**


	4. An Old Friend

**Fae's Duty: The Old Friend**

My first destination was the local mauntery, where I could pay my respects to Saint Glinda and hopefully remain undisturbed for a while. I wrapped my cloak around me carefully, feeling the sting of the raindrops that managed to make their way onto my skin.

As I turned the corner into the aisle that held the oratory to Saint Glinda, I turned in my tracks and went back in the other direction; someone was already there. _I forgot… Fiyero might have expected me to come here for sanctuary._

I looked back at the figure silhouetted in the altar's candlelight long enough to see that it wasn't a masculine shape; the person was wearing a dress. _Not Fiyero, then. But I'll have to find somewhere else to wait. Maybe there's another altar along here I can use._

I walked along the pews, looking to sit down until the oratory was open. I was about to sit when I heard a woman's voice behind me. "I'm done in the altar to Saint Glinda if you wish to go there."

She smiled kindly at me as I turned toward her, and her face quickly changed to one of recognition. "Elphie? Is that really you?"

Looking up and down at her, I finally recognized her as my old classmate, Glinda, who had formerly been called G_a_linda. It seemed rather fitting that she would come to worship her namesake's altar, though the timing was quite coincidental for us to encounter each other.

"Yes, it's me, but don't shout it out. I'm still undercover, and I can't afford to be exposed right now. Come out this way with me."_ She's going to want to talk, I know it, and she's not going to give me a break. Better get it over with in some safe place._

I pulled her out the servants' entrance that I typically used, not quite sure where we would go from there. She took over from there (_typical Glinda!_) and led me down the street towards what I assumed was her house.

As she pulled me up the front steps I began to protest, "I really can't--"

"Oh hush. I haven't seen you, haven't even _heard_ from you in years. Did you really think I was going to let you get away from me without sitting you down for a nice chat first?"

"Well, no, but I isolated myself so none of you would be put in danger, and here you go making it more dangerous for yourself!" _Plus, I really don't want to discuss how I abandoned you and Nessa in the middle of the school year to deal with Horrible Morrible by yourselves…_

She sat me down on one of the softer chairs in her parlor and shook her head slightly at me. She replied admonishingly, "Actually, this is one of the safer places for you. They will have less reason to suspect you if you're here with me. You see, I'm a respected member of society."

She rubbed her right hand a little as she spoke, where I saw a wedding ring on her finger. Fiyero had mentioned that she had gotten married, but since it didn't affect me, I hadn't paid too much attention to that fact. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Oh, my Sir Chuffrey, he's an older gent, but there's nothing left in there for_pleasure_… No, he has money, respect, and experience dealing with society, and I'm moving up thanks to him."

She left the room for a moment, to get tea (or so I guessed), and I cursed myself for my weakness. _This is too dangerous. I wouldn't be able to stand it if she was tortured or killed because of me. I've got to leave._

I had decided to leave, and just gotten up, when Glinda came back in with tea and pushed me back into my seat. I had let her get into her stride; it would be difficult for me to leave now.

_I did want news... and Glinda is very knowledgeable concerning gossip. I'll give her a chance, I guess._

She settled into the seat across from me, looked expectantly at me, and then said, "Well? What have you been doing these past few years?"

_This might take a while..._

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Elphie: Oh, no, somebody's going to find us, I can feel it. Can't you just tell me what's going to happen?

RS: You _know_ I can't do that; it would be too strange if you suddenly got the power of prophecy in the story.

Elphie: Your readers don't have to know. I won't tell anybody… and I can't stand the suspense!

RS: No. I won't do it!


	5. One Short Night

**Fae's Duty: One Short Night**

I sat in Glinda's parlor, drinking tea and gently explaining why I couldn't tell her anything about my work undercover. She obviously had no experience with such organizations; she had a multitude of questions that I could not safely answer.

"So what is the long-term goal of these missions?"

_Now that's a big one. How can she possibly expect me to answer that?_ "I suppose you'll see in good time. Now that you're deep in society, you might even try to stop it if I told you."

"Oh, come now, Elphie. Remember, I was the one who accompanied you to see the Wizard in the first place, surely I wouldn't give you away."

"I can't be sure of anything right now, Glinda. Besides, I'm not even sure of the goal. Now stop asking me confidential questions. I haven't had much news about any of our old friends; how are they?" _I hope she hasn't been corresponding with Fiyero or she'll know that was a lie._

"Nessa didn't know what to do once you left. She started praying viciously for your soul; none of us could stand it anymore, and she didn't really hang out with us anymore."

_If there was anyone I would have stayed for, it was Nessa. I knew that she would pull me into staying if I had told her beforehand. Trust Glinda to give me a guilt trip!_

"Fiyero was wondering if he'd ever see you again. You know, I think he really liked you. Maybe you should go see him out at Kiamo Ko and take a break from your work."

Apparently she hadn't heard from Fiyero. I breathed a sigh of relief; Glinda was so busy rattling off our friends' mental states that she didn't notice.

She went on to talk about Boq, Avaric, Misses Shenshen and Milla, Tibbett and Crope, and various other friends that I barely knew. I just leaned back and let her ramble on; I had already heard the gossip from Fiyero.

Finally she stopped for a moment and looked at the clock. "Goodness, is it that time already? You ought to stay the night tonight… unless you have a mission, that is. You wouldn't object to that, would you?"

_I guess it's safer for me than the local inn... though I don't want to put her in more danger. I'm just visiting an old friend._ "I don't want to intrude upon you and Sir Chuffrey, but if you insist..."

"Great. I insist. I'll have the servants set up the guest bedroom for you. Dinner should be ready shortly, too."

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We had a relaxing dinner in Glinda's dining room. Sir Chuffrey was away on business with the Wizard, and Glinda dominated the conversation with gossip about Oz and its high society. It meant nothing to me, so I was allowed to just daze off, nodding and agreeing with her when it was necessary.

She must have eventually seen my exhaustion, because she showed me to my room immediately after dinner. "I'm sure you're tired, so I'll let you settle down. The bathroom is right next door, I'm down the hall, and everything else you should need is in here."

I thanked her warmly and wished her good night. I wish I could say that I was worried about our safety, but as soon as I had laid down, I soundly fell asleep.

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Elphie: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……

RS: Don't worry about Elphie. I'm sure she'll wake up sometime soon…


	6. The Morning After

**Fae's Duty: The Morning After**

I woke in the morning to a light tap on my door. I had a brief moment of panic, thinking that the Gale Force had somehow found me here and suspected my involvement in the organization. My fears soon dissolved, however, when I heard the voice.

"Good morning!! Or, should I say afternoon? I wasn't going to wake you up, but it's already noon and I didn't know if you would need to get on the road."

I groaned. She heard that I was awake and continued at full speed, "I mean, you're perfectly welcome to stay as long as you want to! I would love to have you stay!"

At this point, I finally composed myself and opened the door. Before I could say anything, she took a little hop forward and hugged me. "Oh, good, you're awake. I thought you would sleep _forever_!! Did you sleep well?"

When she let go of me, I took a deep breath and said, "Oh yes, I feel much better now. But you were right; I do need to get on the road soon. It isn't safe for me to stay in one place for too long."

"I was afraid of that. Well, get dressed and come on down for some lunch!" She went bounding down the hall towards the kitchen. _She is too much of a morning person for my liking. How could I have forgotten?_

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Glinda had her servants bring breakfast into the parlor where I had left my bags. I sat back and enjoyed it while I could, but I eventually knew I had to leave. Reluctantly I stood up. "I wish I could stay longer, but--"

"You have to leave. I understand. Just know that my doors will always be open for you. And please, do come back and visit. I've missed you!"

She showed me to the door, ungracefully dragging my bags behind her. _I guess she doesn't want any servants to see our "private moment"._

I gave her a quick hug and grabbed my bags before she could get too emotional on me; I didn't want to spend too much time in the doorway. I could tell it hurt her to have it be so quick, but it just wasn't safe. _I hope she knows that…_

I walked down to the end of the block and immediately turned. I didn't know if anyone had been watching or following me, so I took a roundabout way around the city. I wasn't sure where I was really going, but the main idea was to shake off anyone who was tracking me.

It suddenly occurred to me that it had been an entire day since I left the note for my superior. I made my way to his block of the city to check for a response.

_Fae,_

_The newest member has informed me that there is something between you two. We, the officers, believe that you will be safe staying with him in your old hideout. Please make it clear to him that you are in charge of said hideout._

_I am attempting to find more dens for our members. If you have a problem with staying with Yero, leave a note here and I will find one for you._

_-Zeb_

I crumpled the note into a ball. Fiyero wasn't dedicated enough to the organization for it to be really safe, but I wasn't about to question the decision of my superiors. We would make it work.

In the meantime, I walked to the den. _Now I have to face Yero and tell him that I was wrong. At least I get some privilege over him._

I tapped on the door; I didn't want to catch Fiyero at an awkward moment. He opened the door cautiously and looked at me, surprised. "What do you want?"

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Elphie: But… but… why???

RS: Don't ask me, you know I can't say!


	7. An Agreement

**Fae's Duty: An Agreement**

"Why are you here?"

I pushed my way into the entryway and pulled the door shut behind me. _Here goes nothing..._

"Yero, the organization thinks we should stay in the same hideout. Zeb doesn't expect any large security issues with this. Apparently I was wrong about that before."

He looked at me for a moment with a strange look on his face. "Didn't he realize that there could be complications? I told him about us!"

_Has he forgotten everything from the last year? We were getting on so well!_ "Look, I'm willing to make it work if you'll give it a try. Zeb said that he would find me a new den if it doesn't work out."

He looked pleadingly at me. "I will try. Can you forgive me for my actions? I was rash, I know, and I didn't consider all of the consequences. I hope we can make it work."

I nodded at him curtly and began pulling my bag up the stairs. He came up beside me, taking it out of my hand, and carried it the rest of the way up. He then turned to me and said, "I'm on assignment tonight, so I need to go. I will be back later, and maybe we can talk then."

I heard him close the door and suddenly felt my emotions catch up with me. I laid down on the bed and fought the urge to cry.

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I was in my nightgown, about to go to bed, when I heard Fiyero come in. He took one look at me, moaned, and started undressing. I climbed into bed and turned away from him.

He laid down beside me and began gently rubbing my back. I wasn't going to give in to this, but my hormones were stronger than my reasoning. I eased back into his touch as if nothing had ever happened between us.

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When I woke up, Fiyero was still deeply asleep with his hand resting on my side. I eased out from under his hand and got dressed. Just as he was beginning to stir, I slid out of the den.

I was about to turn the corner out of the alley when he opened the door behind me. "Fae! Wait! Where are you going? Can't we talk about this?"

_He's going to wake everyone up with that shouting, and we'll be exposed! Why can't he understand that I don't want to talk about it? Oh well, here we go again._

I turned to him and gave him a sharp look. "Look, Fiyero, if this is going to work, you need to be as dedicated to the organization as you are to me. Otherwise, they'll find us. They'll capture us, and torture us, and it will all be for nothing."

He looked me straight in the eye and said, "I promise that I will be dedicated to the organization, and I will never betray you. In the event that I am captured, I will not give up any information about the organization. Is that good enough for you?"

_I want to believe him, but he needs to prove it to me somehow. Maybe now would be a good time to mention the bit about superiority._

I sighed and paused, keeping him on tenterhooks as long as I could. "There is one more condition. Zeb told me that I ought to have a bit more power than you within the den. If you can deal with this as well, we should be fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a deadline to meet."

With this, I strode around the corner without looking back at Fiyero's pleading face.

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Elphie: Some things he just doesn't understand… It must be a male thing.

RS: Maybe. You might find out later.


	8. A Train of Thought

**Fae's Duty: An Interrupted Train of Thought**

I had to get away… from Fiyero, from the city, from everything. I couldn't stand the idea of arguing with him again, and the city was too dangerous for us in the current state of our relationship. I just needed to think, and I couldn't do that with everything pressing in on me.

I didn't actually have a deadline; I just said that so that Fiyero would stop following me. So I wandered around the city with nothing to do, acting like a tourist in Oz for the second time in my life. That, in turn, made my thoughts return to Glinda; I briefly considered visiting her again before dismissing it as both dangerous and boring.

I stopped at a market and picked up a loaf of bread and some milk. I didn't really drink milk, but if I was moving back in, I could give it to Malky. Plus, I couldn't remember if Yero drank milk at all.

Finally I made my way to the mauntery to visit Saint Glinda. It had served me well as a place of solitude in the past, so I thought it would be safe to relax in there for a bit. I snuck in through the servants' entrance and walked toward the appropriate pew.

"I thought I might find you here." It was Fiyero; I could recognize his voice anywhere. I should have known he might look for me. _What was I thinking? Of course he would come here looking for me._

Without looking back, I proceeded to the altar. He couldn't follow me here if I didn't want him to, because I could always call the steward of the mauntery to escort him out. Sure enough, I heard his footsteps stop somewhere behind me and the creak of wood that suggested that he had taken a seat.

_Apparently he's going to wait there until I leave. Only he would be _that_ stubborn. So what do I say to him?_

_I suppose it depends on what he says to me. Maybe I should just go out there and get it over with; the longer we stay out in the open, the worse it is for us._

I looked back to see that there was someone else waiting outside. I quickly finished my ritual and walked out of the pew, where Fiyero stood up and fell into step beside me. He finally whispered, "Will you at least say_something_?"

Together, in silence, we continued all of the way back to the den. When he closed the door behind him, I turned back to him and waited for him to say something. He looked at me and finally said, "I can agree to your condition. I just pray that you can forgive me. I would like to go back to the way we were. What do you think?"

"We can try. I don't know that it will ever be the same, but we can try. Have you eaten yet? I brought some bread and milk if you're hungry." His shoulders relaxed and he nodded slightly. _I guess he must be happy to have me talking to him again._

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We lived in the den in peace for a while, going out on missions during the day and enjoying our bodily pleasures at night. He continued to send the occasional package to his wife Sarima, though I didn't think he really cared about her anymore. After all, their marriage was arranged in the first place, and Sarima had her sisters and her children around her.

I was slightly disappointed. Our relationship had disintegrated to that of the flirtatious coworkers, and I knew it would never be the same.

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**A/N: So sorry for the long delay; my plot bunny finally returned! I'm not sure if it will stay, though. We shall see. **

**::grabs bunny and cuddles it warmly:: **


	9. Tactical Analysis

**Fae's Duty: Tactical Analysis**

Our missions began to make sense as time went on, leading up to one final event: the assassination of Madame Morrible. I had wanted this ever since she had talked to us about being the Wizard's pawns, but it had probably originated even earlier than that.

Anyway, we got a message from Zeb indicating that there was a prime opportunity coming up. Madame Morrible was coming to Oz, for an event in our district, and he wanted us to do the deed.

We were going to Zeb's apartment for a planning meeting. This was a rare event, as it was dangerous for three of us to all be in the same place, but we had to strategize well and quickly if we were going to manage it.

Yero and I strolled out of the den in opposite directions, taking separate routes to the apartment so as to look inconspicuous. We were to enter at different times, but as I turned the corner onto Zeb's street, I saw Yero coming in the other direction.

_He has such horrible timing. I told him to take a more direct route, but apparently he has no concept of that. I can hardly turn back now; I'll just have to walk around the block again._

I glared at him as he walked towards the door, and I turned away down the other road. He didn't react; either he meant to act like he didn't know me or he was simply not observant enough. This troubled me, as I needed to know if he was capable of this job.

I turned the corner and approached the door. A quick tap, the door opened in front of me, and I was pulled inside by a flustered Zeb. I was glad to see that he was just as worried about exposure as I was.

We went down to the basement, the only room with no windows, and sat down on the cushions piled on the floor. Zeb pulled out a schematic of the district and began pointing out the details of our plan.

I watched and listened intently as we went over the events of that day, but noticed Fiyero fidgeting beside me. I assumed he was just nervous about killing someone, but I stored the observation in the back of my mind for later.

Zeb had decided to get a ticket to the event for me, so I had an easy entry. Fiyero, on the other hand, had the task of sneaking the weapon in for me, as I couldn't carry it past the guards. I was to enter the town square that held the event as a usual guest, and Fiyero would slide in past the guards to hand the knife off to me.

From there, it was all up to me. Fiyero would make his way out of the square without being caught, and I would do the actual deed. As much as this was more dangerous for me, I was glad to be the one, due to my hatred for Madame Morrible and concern for Fiyero's safety.

The real problem would come in not being caught afterwards; it was likely that the guards would blockade the entire square so that they could catch us. Zeb, however, had found an apartment building in the square with an uninhabited basement. We could easily open the windows beforehand, so that I could slip down there unnoticed until the Gale Force abandoned the search.

I didn't actually care that much if there was an escape plan. As much as I wanted to be with Fiyero, and to continue my undercover work, I had known a long time ago that I could die on the job. But I followed the plan because I knew it would wreck Yero if I didn't make it back to him safely.

That brought the end of our planning session, as Zeb didn't want to risk taking any more time, and Fiyero and I both understood the plan. We left separately and returned to the den; he actually took my advice and took the direct route this time, so he was easily back before I was, despite leaving afterwards.

I slept fitfully, awaiting the day when I could bring down my enemy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**A/N: The end is coming soon. If you've read the book, you should recognize how it links back into the canonical story…**


	10. Opening Day

**Fae's Duty: Opening Day**

The day came.

We were both silent through breakfast.

It was too stressful for us to talk about the mission.

As I went out the door, Fiyero finally said something: "Good luck today."

I gazed at him sadly. He didn't know of my intentions to do whatever it took, and I wasn't going to tell him.

I murmured, "you too," and strode out onto the streets of Oz.

--

I walked around Zeb's building and poked my fingers into various nooks until I found the ticket. I pulled it out and tucked it into my satchel and walked away. I had a strange sensation that someone was watching me, but I shook it off, looking around and seeing nobody.

--

The guards looked threateningly at me as I walked up to them, ticket in hand. One of them reached out and snatched it away from me, judging my reaction to the situation. Eventually, he nodded and handed my ticket to the first of a line of people, who beckoned to me. I hoisted my satchel higher onto my shoulder and followed him.

When the boy had shown me to my area of the event, I assessed the position and swore silently. I was stuck in one of the back tents, nowhere near the main stage; it would be very hard to get through the crowd toward the target.

Noting where I was in the crowd, I made my way to the abandoned apartment nearby. Checking to see that nobody was looking, I slid down through the open window into the darkness of the room below. Sure enough, I saw a pile of fabric tucked into the supporting rafters.

I pulled it out, tucked it into my satchel, and climbed back out of the apartment building. The crowd had increased, making it even harder to push my way through. Luckily, it also made it more difficult for the guards to see that I was getting closer to the main stage.

Finally, the stage was directly in front of me. All that remained was to wait for the perfect moment and attack.

--

**A/N: Next we'll get a tiny bit of Fiyero's perspective, leading up to the end. Sorry for the long delay; RL has caught up to me and held my plot bunnies hostage.**


	11. Fiyero's Approach

Fae's Duty: Fiyero's Chance

**Fae's Duty: Fiyero's Approach**

Elphie, his Elphie, was walking out the door on the most dangerous mission he had ever considered. She looked at him with an expression that he just didn't know how to interpret, and he watched her leave, not knowing what would happen to either of them that day.

He waited until she had been gone for a little while, and then tucked the knife into his bag wrapped in one of the scarves he had originally bought for Sarima. Wrapping a cloak around himself, he followed Elphie's footsteps out the door and made his way to an empty side-street.

He followed the winding alley as it shrank around him. Eventually, it became so dark and narrow that he had to put his hands out to his side to feel for the door that Zeb had told him was there.

Finally feeling the hidden door in an otherwise seamless wall, he disappeared into the building and closed the door behind him. He crept over to the window, which cast a dull light into the room, and opened it to the outside world. The shadows moved around him as the crowd moved around at the main event and he reached up to tuck the wrapped knife in the rafters of the room.

Having completed his part of the mission, he opened the hidden door and slid sideways through it. As he made his way back out towards the street he had originally left, a nagging feeling made him stop and stand still at the end of the alley, barely noticeable in the shade and remoteness of the alley itself.

As he stood there, time seemed to slow as he tried to find out what was going on. A bunch of soldiers marched by his hiding place towards the event, and he shrank back, hoping that they wouldn't see him. They passed by without a glance, and he poked his head around the corner of the building again.

The road was cleared, so he made his way down the street behind the guards. Nobody came out of the buildings or alleyways to stop him, and he walked forward until he could see the entrance to the square ahead of him. Pausing in the middle of the empty road, he contemplated his next move.

People moved about in front of him, blocking the entrance so that the guards could watch the event.

Now came the hard part. He had to wait.


	12. The Attempt

Fae's Duty: The Attempt

**Fae's Duty: The Attempt**

A pair of drums to either side of the stage began beating out a drum roll and the crowd around me fell silent. A squat man with a purple top hat and a cane came out on the stage and approached the microphone. Bending it down and tapping it gently, he said, "Welcome, citizens of Emerald City, to the celebration you have been waiting for!"

The crowd exploded with cheers. He waved them silent again, and continued, "First, may I introduce to you… the Emerald City Gems!" He waved a group of children onto the stage and stationed himself out of their way.

My eyes wandered around the stage as the kids began singing. The performance had surprised me, since there had been no previous mention of it; I had no way of knowing if there would be other surprises in the program.

But as I watched the stage behind the choir, I saw the fish-like movement of Madame Morrible behind the thin screen that blocked off the back of the stage. I tried to walk around towards the side of the stage, but the rest of the crowd refused to budge; they seemed almost mesmerized by the song.

It finally ended, and the people around me applauded again. The children each took a step forward and sat on the edge of the stage, and I swore under my breath. The easy ways to get to Madame Morrible were blocked, and I might never get the same chance again.

Desperate, I pulled out the knife and cradled it in my hand. As the squat man came back to the microphone, I forced my way through the crowd, leaving my satchel behind. I knocked the front row into the rows behind me, and soon the whole group was pushing and shoving throughout the square. In the chaos, I found the stairs and stood on the edge of the stage, checking the situation around me.

The guards, suspecting an uprising, had gotten the choir to move back, and people were beginning to climb up on the stage to avoid being pushed around. Hiding the knife again, I allowed myself to be buffeted towards the back of the stage. The choir was still between me and Madame Morrible, and I could see the carriage in which she had arrived.

Furiously, I began pushing again, slashing a few of the children in my haste to get to the carriage. As she took the first step up into her carriage, I raised the hand with the knife and flung it over the choir at Madame Morrible. She stumbled and fell backwards as my knife struck her in the ankle, but the guards around her swarmed closer and hoisted her into the cart, sending it off down the road. A high-pitched whistle quickly sounded over the whole square, and answering whistles echoed around the city.

I drooped at the failure. I had not brought another weapon, and Madame Morrible was rapidly being driven away; the opportunity was lost. Realizing this, I looked around frantically for an escape. Guards were making their way through towards the crowd looking for the perpetrator, and one of them spotted my frantic attempts to push out and yelled, "Hey! Stop right there!"

I kept pushing through in what I hoped was the direction of the abandoned apartment. Grabbing a cloak from someone in the crowd, I wrapped it around myself as a disguise and continued on my way. The guards seemed to have lost track of me, and were now concentrating on blocking the remainder of the alleyways off of the square.

Finally, I spotted the apartment building. The rush of people almost pushed me away, but I forced myself over to the wall and slid along it to the low window. It awaited me just as I had left it, and I slipped down into the darkness gratefully, closing the window behind me. I took a couple steps into the room, and collapsed onto the floor in wearied stress.


	13. Fiyero is Caught

**Fae's Duty: Fiyero is Caught**

Fiyero stood outside the barrier, hoping that he was far enough for the guards to not see his presence on the road. The noise died down, and he could hear artificially amplified voices from within. The children's choir reached its grand finale, and the audience applauded, then quieted again.

He knew he should be safely in the apartment waiting for Elphie's return, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Instead, he drew closer to the barrier, hoping to hear more of the ceremony. The guards there seemed to be distracted, so he felt confident that he would not be caught.

Fiyero began hearing a jumble of sounds over the sound system, as if the microphone was being passed around a group of people, being dropped along the way. After a minute or so, the sounds ceased abruptly. He waited in suspense, as the crowd seemed agitated; a whistle rang out over everything.

People came rushing out of every building and alley that he could see, and he quickly lost himself among them as chaos reigned. The guards were trying to contain everyone in a quickly-expanding region, but Fiyero could see that people were sneaking out in a couple directions. Watching a man leave, he made his way in that direction and attempted to follow suit.

He was prodded in the back as he rushed forward, and he fell to the ground. "Where d'ya think you're going?" a gruff voice asked him when he rolled over to face the guard.

His heart pounded a rapid beat in his chest as he tried to come up with an answer. "I, uh, I was not involved in this mission, sir, they didn't give me a ticket. You can check me if you'd like."

"This mission, eh? I ain't checkin' you for a ticket, but you'll come with me to the ones who will have some questions about what yer callin' a mission." Fiyero gulped as he realized his new mistake, and the sensation caught in his throat as he was hoisted to his feet and dragged firmly by the arm and neck to one side of the throng.

_No wonder Elphie didn't trust me with the organization and with her secrets… I can't blame her for that now. Oh, Elphie!_

* * *

**A/N:** If anyone who used to read this story happens to see this—I'm sorry. I went through some of my old files today and found this chapter already mostly-written and facepalmed. Once I saw I had that much already, I knew I had to finish it off and offer it up to you.

Way back when I was writing this story in the first place, I got stuck because it felt terribly anti-climactic; we already know approximately how things have to turn out in the end, and I wasn't taking it anywhere new or AU. I didn't have a strong pull to round it out. Plus, it was only ever meant to be a one-shot, and to be honest, I think it was better that way (or maybe a two-shot, just to clear some things up).

So I'll tell you what. I think there's one more chapter to go, just to tie it back in to the book's tale. I'm starting to write it in my head already, and I might try to do it tonight just to make sure it gets done. I'm not going to be fully happy with this story, but I feel like if I got this far, I should at least round it out. (It's why I always use "complete" as a search category—it drives me nuts when someone starts a story and abandons it when I'm reading along with it.)

So to anyone who sees this—thanks for coming on the ride of my first story.


	14. When You Feel the World is Ending

**Fae's Duty: When You Feel the World is Ending**

I could only wait for so long on the floor of this empty room. I needed to take action, and the stress was taking over the weariness once again. The darkness of the abandoned apartment building was closing in on me.

_I failed, and now they're going to be expecting something._

The disappointment was settling deeper into my brain, but now—now it's being replaced by something else. The noises from the streets are pushing their way back into my awareness. I think they're getting louder.

_Fiyero._

If he was foolhardy enough to get himself into the organization—on my behalf—then he's foolish enough to be out there on the streets still. I need to know. I need to find out if he's home. I need… him.

I shake my head furiously to get the thought out of my head. I don't need him, and he's not mine to have in the first place. Really, I was handling things better without him. I don't need him. But… I do need to know that he's okay.

I ready myself to enter the outside world again, this time through the door that I can barely see across the room. I open it and peek out. The hallway is empty, and I walk hurriedly down it towards the door at the end where I can see sunshine peeking in the window.

_I have to act normal. Then again, they did just witness an assassination attempt, even if they didn't realize it. How do I imitate that? Better to just make my way as quickly as I can, I think._

I exit the building and start walking. There's noise from the guards and the crowds in both directions, but I have to get to the end of this block before I can turn and start working my way back to our den.

I make it, and turn down the street away from the noise, but I can't help but glance behind me to see the state of the chaos. A couple people go running past me out of the mess of people; they must have snuck away from the guards that I can see attempting to barricade the street. I hide my face back in my cloak and turn down the street again before I manage to stop myself completely.

Out of the yelling, I hear a gruff voice suddenly. "Where d'ya think you're going?"

_I can't look. It would be too suspicious. Not to mention he's way back there, he can't possibly be talking to me. And if he is? I'll run._

I've almost reached the next block. The fastest way home would be to continue straight ahead, but it would be too direct, and therefore unsafe. I turn back again, trying to judge the confusion behind me, as I'm trying to decide which direction to go next.

And I freeze.

_Fiyero! No! Oh, no._

_It might not be him. It just looks like him. You'll get back to the den and he'll be there waiting for you._

I have to turn myself away, force myself to keep walking. It's an agonizing few minutes—I take a shorter route than I might have in less emotional circumstances—but I arrive at the den.

It's empty. _No. It can't be._

_FIYERO!_

* * *

I can't think. I can't move. I've lost Fiyero, and for what? A mission that failed for an organization I didn't even know the full purpose of. No, I wanted Madame Morrible out of the way—and I've been their pawn ever since.

I can't do this anymore. I don't _want_ to do this anymore.

There's a hammering at the door. I leap up, startled, before my body can remember how it was feeling a moment ago.

"Gale Force, open up!"

There's nothing to gather. I'm wearing my clothes and my satchel's already strung over my shoulder and across my torso. I open the secret passageway, scoop up Malky and push her ahead of me, and pull the door shut behind me even as I hear the front door collapse inwards.

I'm running now to the only place I can think of: the sanctuary of Saint Glinda. I can't run to Glinda herself, not if the Gale Force is after me. So I reach the servants' entrance to the sanctuary and approach one of the stewards.

"Protect me," I gasp, "please."

"Sanctuary? We can do that, but if you are on the run, perhaps you are better off out of the Emerald City, dear."

I nod. It makes sense. I'm still gasping for breath.

"Let's get you up to see Mother Yackle. You can tell her what you need to."

_My dear Fiyero… must I tell her you're dead? I can't say it._

_No. I won't say it._

* * *

**A/N: **And so Elphaba arrives at the mauntery—and when she refuses to speak of Fiyero's fate, she decides it's easier to not speak of anything. Her story picks back up again in the "In the Vinkus" portion of the wonderful Gregory Maguire's _Wicked_.


End file.
